The United States and China in Power Transition - Strategic Studies ...

provocative acts, adamantly opposes the U.S.
military posturing in the Korean Peninsula,
charging that the real intent of the intensified
U.S. military activities in Northeast Asia is
a U.S. attempt to deter China. As recently as
June 2011, China solicited Russia’s support to
issue a joint statement openly denouncing the
U.S. approach: “the two countries pledged support
for each other on a wide range of issues,
including Russia’s security challenges from the
United States and Europe as well as U.S. pressure
on China in the Asia-Pacific regions.” 2 U.S.
political and military leaders should see that,
with China and Russia standing in the way, a
military solution to the North Korea problem
is not an option. Hasty military reactions to
the North Korea problem are increasingly becoming
a point of contention between China
and the United States. This is dangerous to the
power transition process.
• In light of this situation, the U.S. repositioning
and reduction of military forces in South Korea
appeared to be proper policy adjustments. In
the years ahead, the United States should gradually
turn the remaining U.S. military forces in
the Korean Peninsula from the decades-long
tactical operations into a strategic deterrence
presence. This adjustment is consistent with
the Nixon Doctrine that expects our allies and
friendly nations in Asia to bear the primary responsibility
for their security interests, while
the United States provides needed military,
economic, and political support. In the meantime,
the United States should take China’s advice
to replace the Korean War Armistice with a
peace treaty and normalize U.S. relations with
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